Buck Tail to Central ridge loop and back.
This ride does not have water available, so take water. It was 100F when I rode this. It will be best to ride this in the am. or cooler weather.
I started this ride at the parking lot just past Fort Boise military cemetery on Mountain Cove road. Trail 22C Mountain Cove trail, starts to the southeast side of the parking lot. Mt Cove trail is hard pack single track with some sand and meanders along the stream through high brush and some trees. You will find some roots hiding in the trees as well as some baby heads. A left hand turn onto trail 22C took me to Three Bears which is a gravel road that leads up to the Firing range parking lot. On the south side of the parking lot is a bar style barrier which I was able to ride under and make a left hand turn onto the single track headed up hill. Sanford and Son or Show Case as the trail is called, heads uphill. Ride about 150 yards up the trail and bear left, this is Buck tail. Continue up this meandering single track until you get to the split of Buck Tail, Shane’s trail, and Central ridge trail. Take a right onto Central Ridge trail ride several hundred yards and the vista will open up to see the skyline and city of Boise. Be careful with increasing your speed at this point. Here is where I sped up and got dumped by a series of deep ruts that sucked my front one way and my tail the other way. Continue along and down this trail watching for ruts and baby heads watching for the right hand turn onto Ridge Crest #20 just before the crest of a short hill. Follow the hill back to the gate, but instead of taking the road, continue to bear left on the single track Show case / Sanford and Son through more baby heads to the lower part of the road. Ride left on the road about 20 feet to the other side of the stream bed and make a hard left back on to Mountain Cove trail 22c. Follow this trail back to where you started.
Click here for start and finish on Google Maps
Click here for an overhead view of the whole trail
More Information
Trail Name: Buck Tail to Central ridge loop and back.
Type: Recreation path, Single track with narrow sections, Start and end at the same point (Loop)
Rating: Adaptive Level 07
Length: 4.0 miles
Steepest Section: Moderate – between 10-30º
Most Off-Camber Section: Mild – under 10º
Terrain: Mostly hardpack, minimal loose sections
Obstacles: Root exposure, Deep ruts and erosion, Brush and/or other growth, Baby heads and/or rock gardens
Help Needed? Nope
Even more info: MTB Project
Directions to Trailhead
From I-84 take the Broadway exit to downtown. Take the east north east turn onto Reserve street off of the curve at State and Broadway. Take a left hand turn onto Mountain Cove rd. Drive approximately 1 mile to the parking area which will be on the right hand side of the road. This parking area has a bathroom and is about 500 feet past and across from the Fort Boise military cemetery.
This ride does not have water available, so take water. It was 100F when I rode this. It will be best to ride this in the am. or cooler weather.
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